Wales fly-half Priestland: England form is no fluke

No illusions: Rhys Priestland knows England will pose a stern test for his Wales side (Image: Getty)

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Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland saw opposite number Charlie Hodgson score the winning tries against both Scotland and Italy by charging down kicks. Now Priestland is desperate to stop the England star completing a bizarre hat-trick at Twickenham.

He said: “Hodgson said they practice charge-downs all the time at Saracens so it hasn’t been a fluke that England have got two tries from it.

“It’s important we don’t put too much pressure on individuals kicking so we’ve been working on spreading the duty around. Luckily we have backs that can kick the ball.”

Priestland has not trained this week to rest a sore knee. But he is fully expected to be passed fit for a return to the venue where he kick-started his Test career six months ago.

Priestland survived a baptism of fire after he replaced Stephen Jones at Twickenham five minutes before kick-off in last-summer’s pre-World Cup friendly.

That was his first start in a Wales jersey and has been first choice ever since. Priestland said:

“The day was a whirlwind and the game is just a blur. I went from thinking I was starting at full-back to getting chucked in at 10 five minutes before kick-off.

“People ask if I was nervous but there simply wasn’t any time for it because everything happened so quick.

“But the boys helped me through that and it’s been the same since. We’ve really grown as a squad.”

Wales were rewarded for gambling on youngsters at the World Cup and Stuart Lancaster has taken a leaf from the same book.

Priestland said: “Our younger boys were thrown in the deep end a few months ago and they found their feet.

“England are a young squad as well and I’m sure they will get better with every game. We have to be wary because they will have improved by the time we go there.

“It doesn’t get much bigger than playing for the Triple Crown against England. It will be a special day but we will play our game to get the win.”